Gustav

The DQ is on the way to Clarksville, TN. Turnover there is scheduled for Tuesday. Not sure exactly where they are today.. Maybe Paducah?? From Clarksville they head up to Pittsburgh.

Paul,

Lets all say a prayer for our friends down in the New Orleans and general Gulf area as this situation unfolds.

Soon we will hear of the preparations...however, all are busy making them now. I am hoping the MQ gets towed safely upstream from New Orleans. The NATCHEZ and CREOLE QUEEN generally head to Baton Rouge and are safe there.

The DQ and AQ will be safely out of the way for now. However, their season ends in New Orleans in very early November.

At this point, prayer is all we have for all concerned...the people, our crew members, their families, and the boats. Lets all be ready to help if something happens. Because if it happens, they will all need it!

~Travis~

Can this be the end of the MQ? If she isn't towed to a safer location? I know, it's small potatoes compared to all the other people who are in harm's way, but I still worry about her.
S'
David D.

I fear for the MQ as this would make for a good insurance claim for her owner's who are possibly having a hard time finding a buyer for her considering the condition.

Phillip

Judy, have you talked to Don or anybody down on the Natchez? I have tried to get in touch and can't seem to. I figured you might have had more luck than I did. And please everyone, keep New Orleans in your prayers if you could. Thanks

Matt

We are already getting evacuees. Gov. Jindhal was on tv reading a laundry list of things that were being done. Latest I heard was a mandatory evacuation from New Orleans starting as early as today. There are a gazillion buses for those without transportation, pet evacuation centers, every large building in Shreveport is ready with wall to wall cots and (I hope rows of porta potties), and the Superdome will remain empty. We are, by the way, about 350 miles from New Orleans. But, on the other hand, a major network was doing a report from New Orleans Friday, I think, and in the background were the dulcet sounds of the Natchez calliope.

I just looked at some traffic cams in New Orleans. There is hardly any traffic. In fact, it looks downright deserted.

Just as I posted, I got word from one of my fellow co-workers on the Natchez. He says that they are going to move the boat Sunday night to Bayou Goulla (spelling?) just below of Baton Rouge. Please keep them in your prayers once again. Thanks

Matt

And hopefully that won't be worse than staying in NOLA.. BR is west of NOLA and the storm track is west of both NOLA and BR . They will be behind an island, in a more secure location than Toulouse St., for sure. Back in the early '90s, they took the boat up there and Capts. Roddy and Verne got out of the pilothouse when the windows shook uncontrollably - and NOLA got very little. BR is farther inland, and obviously the hope is that the storm weakens over land. This just doesn't seem possible, so soon after Katrina. I just talked to Doc and he is leaving at 4AM for Woodville to stay at a friend's plantation home, where he sat out Katrina.

Thanks for the updates, Judy. I know that everyone on the boat, and obviously the boat itself, will be in my prayers. God bless New Orleans!!

The Natchez should maybe go to Vicksburg. Gustav is expected to track across Louisiana and severe weather is predicted way inland, even up in our neck of the woods. Voluminous amounts of rain are expected. Evacuee centers in this area are already filled, so I don't know where all those people just now leaving New Orleans are going. We are getting our generator ready for a long run. It is such a different scenario than it was 3 years ago. No complacency this time. Even Mayor Nagin is concerned.

MQ and Gustav

This maybe the best for the MQ is to be sunk at her dock because what I saw of her in April was really a wreak of a streamer i think she will sink where she seats right now they cant tow her if they havent already. She is a seating duck as they say.Glad to hear that the other ships are away like when Katrna hit Thats a good thing.